The other day I tried the Pro Limit teamwave waist harness I bought 2 years ago and haven't broken in yet. The secret insider tip that prompted this was, wait for it...you don't wear a waist harness around your waist, you wear it on your hips! Did anybody else know this?????? Sheee-it....

So, I tried that, and I actually didn't get a bad back from wearing it this time!! Hurrah! One small step!

But I still need advice...the harness fits snugly around the hips, without creeping up too badly, but (a) when you're sailing hooked in, it really squashes the hips, I mean it's not exactly comfortable to use at all... and (b) although the harness stays put, the hook & spreader bar try to pull up really high, so I end up hanging from the thing in a really weird way. I had to abort and head back to the beach for my seat harness in order to salvage the rest of the session.

How do you guys manage to cope with this? Do you lower the boom waaay down so the harness lines are more horizontal when hooked in? They do say shorter harness lines are the go, but this would just add to the weird hanging problem.

I had to abort and head back to the beach for my seat harness in order to salvage the rest of the session.

Best thing you did all day, chuck that waist harness back in your bag, you wont need it over there. Stick with the seat job

The spreader bar on a waist harness should be roughly straigh over your belly botton.

If your running lines for a seat harness there more than likely way to long. I run 24 Flying Objects or 26 inch Da Kine, depends on the brand to actual length.

If your back is hurting they are to long or you need to stand up straighter and lose the Poo Man stance most people who use seat harness have..and this will stop it ending up in your rib cage..

Once you use it more you will never go back to your old man nappie..

Boom hight? for me sholder hight.. bit higher for 7.5m +

Just shorten your lines a bit, and learn to drive through your legs, rather than just hanging.
I switched from a surf-seat to a waist a couple of years back, and I'll never look back.
I noticed Micah Buzianis wearing a waist and talked to him about it on Maui. He said he tried one for a while when he had a sore back, and he has never gone back. He races at the top level in a waist quite happily.
A waist is great for getting through shore-break where you have to get in and out a lot and quickly.
Mine rides up quite a lot, but it does not bother me.

Wet Willy said...

I really wanna use it...they look like so much fun! A few of my friends use them with slalom kit, 7-8m sails, I dont see them complaining. I don't sail formula, just big slalom and big freeride gear...

OK will try shortening the harnies (and maybe tightening the straps on the spreader bar!) ...fingers crossed

its should be called a..
'sits comfortably in the lower arch of your back, only with a confident dignified stance harness'

basically if a sailor is not maintaining that arch in their lower back, or their shoulders are closer to the boom than their hips.. they will need to wear a nappy..

and tightening a waist harness to compensate for it riding up is only good for keeping a gut in while parading down to the beach.. tighten the stance, not the harness.

I think less than 5% of windsurfers can use body shape as an excuse not to be able to sail one, and most of them would be female with ample hips.

personally I run with a really loose harness, so it falls down over my hips when I waterstart and give me loads of freedom..

pryde waist harnesses are spot on for this... dakine are useless because of their rubbish clip system.

I 've used a waist harness for yonks and even for sailing formula. I now run long lines as well with no probs. It takes a bit to get used to but once you're there then there's no going back.

What may help you intially is using one of the smooth skin wetties. They're quite grippy and help to keep the harness in place. I do find that it does ride up abit when I have a slippery rashie on.

Wet Willy said...

The other day I tried the Pro Limit teamwave waist harness I bought 2 years ago and haven't broken in yet.

I run the ProLimit Teamwave waist harness - fits me comfy - if your a skinny/tall build try it - it has a 'quick release' for a bit of reassurance and the hook can move a bit eitherway to turn for either tack.